titanic

adjective

ti·​tan·​ic tī-ˈta-nik How to pronounce titanic (audio)
 also  tə-
: having great magnitude, force, or power : colossal
a titanic struggle
titanically
tī-ˈta-ni-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce titanic (audio)
 also  tə-
adverb

Did you know?

Before becoming the name of the most famous ship in history, titanic referred to the Titans, a family of giants in Greek mythology who were believed to have once ruled the earth. They were subsequently overpowered and replaced by the younger Olympian gods under the leadership of Zeus. The size and power of the Titans is memorialized in the adjective titanic and in the noun titanium, a chemical element of exceptional strength that is used in the production of steel.

Examples of titanic in a Sentence

They put up a titanic struggle. The batter hit a titanic home run.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 21-year-old cited Novak Djokovic’s titanic Olympic victory over Alcaraz as the template to succeed during a difficult start to the final. Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025 The conceptual challenge this kind of preparation poses, however, is different from what would be required to prepare for a titanic confrontation between superpowers. Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025 Djokovic won his only title of 2024 at Roland Garros, beating Alcaraz in their titanic Olympic gold medal match. Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025 Parker scored a second-round TKO victory after landing a titanic overhand right that landed on the top of Bakole’s head. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for titanic

Word History

Etymology

Greek titanikos of the Titans

First Known Use

1709, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of titanic was in 1709

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Cite this Entry

“Titanic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titanic. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

titanic

adjective
ti·​tan·​ic tī-ˈtan-ik How to pronounce titanic (audio)
: enormous in size, force, or power

More from Merriam-Webster on titanic

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